Seney-Stovall Chapel

Seney-Stovall Chapel

Sitting at the edge of the Lucy Cobb grounds on North Milledge Avenue at the corner of West Broad Street, this unusual octagonal building with an exquisite Victorian interior is considered the “crown jewel” of the Lucy Cobb complex, home to the Carl Vinson Institute of Government.

The Seney-Stovall Chapel, located in the historic Cobbham District, was built in 1882 as the chapel for the Lucy Cobb Institute, a boarding school for girls that opened in 1859, and for community cultural events. The chapel was abandoned shortly after World War II and was transferred to the University of Georgia in 1953. It deteriorated until 1961, when the slow process of restoration was begun. Restoration of the chapel was completed in 1997.

The chapel has been restored in a way that allows for its use by a variety of university and community groups as well as individuals. The venue has hosted numerous wedding parties and theatrical productions, and even served as a recording site for R.E.M. as the band put the finishing touches on 2008’s Accelerate. The historic chapel can be seen in a number of videos produced by the band, including Hollow Man.